Russian authorities seek to postpone open mobilization to avoid dissent - British intelligence

Russia's Ministry of Defense has launched a major campaign to recruit volunteers as the Russian Federation seeks to delay open mobilization to minimize domestic dissent.

That’s according to an update by the British Ministry of Defense, referring to intelligence data, Ukrinform reports.

As part of a large-scale campaign, advertising appeared on Russian social media, on billboards, and on television.

The new adverts appeal to potential recruits’ “masculine pride, appealing for ‘real men’, as well as highlighting financial benefits of joining up.”

Wagner Group also claims to recruit a limited pool of Russian males of fighting age as its access to prisoner recruitment was stopped.

"It remains highly unlikely that the campaign will attract the MoD’s reported target of 400,000 volunteers. The authorities are almost certainly seeking to delay any new, overt mandatory mobilisation for as long as possible to minimize domestic dissent," report said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, in the previous update, British intelligence noted that the Russian authorities canceled events commemorating the “Immortal Regiment", most likely in order not to emphasize the scale of Russia’s losses in the ongoing war with Ukraine.